Question

Differentiate between mass and weight.

Answer 1

Difference between mass and weight:

Sl. No.	Differentiating Property	Mass	Weight
1.	Definition	Mass is simply the measure of the amount of matter in a body.	Weight is the measure of the amount of force acting on a mass due to acceleration due to gravity.
2.	Denotation	Mass is denoted by “M”.	Weight is denoted by “W”.
3.	Formula	Mass is always constant for a body and there are several formulas to calculate mass. One way to calculate mass is: Mass = volume × density	Weight is the measure of the gravitational force acting on a body. Weight can be calculated from the following formula: Weight = mass × acceleration due to gravity
4.	Quantity Type	Mass is a base quantity. Mass only has magnitude and so, it is a scalar quantity.	Weight is a derived quantity. Weight has both magnitude and direction (towards the centre of gravity) and so, it is a vector quantity.
5.	Unit of Measurement	The SI unit of mass is Kilogram (Kg).	The SI unit of weight is Newton (N).
6.	Gravitational Effect	Mass does not depend upon gravity and is constant everywhere. Mass can never be zero.	Weight is dependent on gravity and so, it varies from place to place. Weight can be zero where there is no gravity (like space).
7.	Measuring Instrument	Mass can be easily measured using any ordinary balance like beam balance, lever balance, pan balance, etc.	Weight can be measured by a spring balance or by using its formula.